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  • Indian Restaurant in Seoul: India Durbar Near Sillim Station

    Indian Restaurant in Seoul: India Durbar Near Sillim Station

    If you are looking for an Indian restaurant in Seoul, India Durbar near Sillim Station is a good place to try curry, naan, chicken tikka, and lassi in one meal.

    I first visited India Durbar a few years ago while searching for restaurants around Sillim Station. Recently, I was watching travel videos about India on YouTube and suddenly started craving Indian food, so I decided to visit again.

    I have also eaten Indian food several times while traveling around Southeast Asia, so I was curious to see how this Indian food in Seoul compared with the meals I remembered from my travels.

    India Durbar Indian restaurant near Sillim Station in Seoul
    India Durbar, an Indian restaurant near Sillim Station in Seoul.

    India Durbar Near Sillim Station

    India Durbar (인디아 더르바르)
    309 Sillim-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul
    2F

    The restaurant is located close to Sillim Station on the second floor. Whenever I passed by this area, I sometimes noticed international customers eating beside the open windows.

    I visited at around 1:30 p.m., after the main lunch rush, because I was dining alone. Even at that time, there were Korean groups as well as international customers eating together.

    I chose a table by the window.

    Interior of India Durbar restaurant near Sillim Station
    Window-side seating inside India Durbar in Sillim.

    📍 View India Durbar on Google Maps

    Restaurant information, prices, and opening hours may change, so check the latest details before visiting.

    Indian Food Set for One Person

    I ordered the single-person set for KRW 17,500 during my visit.

    The basic set included green salad, chicken tikka, curry, rice, naan, and lassi. I paid extra to upgrade the regular rice to Indian-style rice and the plain naan to garlic naan.

    When you eat alone at an Indian restaurant, ordering several different dishes can be difficult. I liked this set because I could try a little of everything without ordering multiple full-size dishes.

    I often ate similar long-grain rice while traveling in Malaysia and Indonesia, so choosing Indian-style rice reminded me of those trips.

    Indian food set with curry naan chicken tikka rice and lassi in Seoul
    My single-person Indian food set at India Durbar.

    I started with the green salad, which came with a light and slightly sweet citrus-style dressing.

    Chicken Tikka

    Chicken tikka is a popular Indian dish made with boneless chicken marinated in spices and cooked at high heat.

    The chicken was easy to eat because there were no bones. It tasted slightly spicy to me, so I enjoyed eating it together with garlic naan.

    Chicken tikka at India Durbar in Seoul
    Boneless chicken tikka served with the set meal.

    If you are trying Indian food for the first time, chicken tikka can also be an approachable dish because it is served as grilled chicken rather than in a heavy sauce.

    Garlic Naan

    The basic set came with regular naan, but I paid an extra charge to change it to garlic naan. I had seen several reviews recommending the cheese naan, but I chose garlic naan instead.

    My upgraded garlic naan came in three pieces. They were larger and more filling than I expected, and I eventually left one piece.

    Garlic naan at an Indian restaurant in Seoul
    Garlic naan served with my curry set.

    I tore off pieces of naan and dipped them into the curry or wrapped them around the chicken tikka.

    Choosing Curry: Palak Paneer, Chicken Masala or Chicken Makhani

    The single-person set allowed me to choose one of three curries: palak paneer, chicken masala, or chicken makhani.

    Palak Paneer

    Palak paneer is an Indian curry made with spinach and paneer, a fresh Indian cheese. It generally has a creamy texture and is a useful option for travelers looking for a vegetarian curry.

    Chicken Masala

    Chicken masala is made with chicken, tomatoes, onions, and a mixture of spices. It usually has a stronger spice flavor than creamier curries.

    Chicken Makhani

    Chicken makhani is commonly known as butter chicken. It combines chicken with a tomato-based sauce, butter, and cream, creating a rich and relatively mild flavor.

    I was not familiar enough with all three choices, so I asked for a recommendation and chose chicken masala.

    Chicken masala curry at India Durbar Seoul
    Chicken masala with Indian-style rice and naan.

    The chicken masala had a noticeable spicy kick and went especially well with the garlic naan. I also mixed some of the curry with the Indian-style rice.

    Lassi and Side Dishes

    Lassi was included in the set.

    Lassi is a yogurt-based drink commonly served with Indian food. Compared with some of the lassi I had tried while traveling in Southeast Asia, the version here tasted relatively mild to me.

    The meal also came with pickled radish, jalapeños, and seasoned onions.

    The seasoned onions were an unexpected combination, but I found that they went surprisingly well with the curry.

    Trying Gulab Jamun for Dessert

    I had eaten curry and naan many times before, but on this visit I decided to order an Indian dessert that was new to me.

    I ordered gulab jamun for KRW 3,000.

    Gulab jamun is a traditional Indian dessert made from milk-based dough that is shaped into balls, fried, and soaked in sweet syrup.

    Gulab jamun Indian dessert in Seoul
    Gulab jamun, a sweet Indian dessert soaked in syrup.

    The texture was completely new to me and the syrup was very sweet. After the spicy chicken masala, however, it was a nice way to finish the meal with a completely different flavor.

    Is India Durbar Good for Solo Dining?

    Based on my experience, India Durbar was comfortable for solo dining in Seoul.

    The biggest advantage for me was the single-person set. Instead of ordering only curry and rice, I could try curry, naan, chicken tikka, rice, salad, and lassi in one meal.

    The portion was also generous enough that I could not finish all of the naan.

    If you are staying around Sillim, Gwanak-gu, or southern Seoul and want something different from Korean food, India Durbar is an option for Indian curry and naan near Sillim Station.

    Try a Korean Cooking Class in Seoul

    If you are visiting Seoul and want to experience Korean food in a more hands-on way, you can also join a Korean cooking class.

    Instead of simply eating Korean dishes at a restaurant, this experience lets you make representative Korean food yourself and enjoy what you have prepared.

    K-FOOD Cooking Class – Make Representative Korean Dishes Yourself

    It can be a fun option for travelers who enjoy food experiences and want to learn more about Korean cuisine during their trip to Seoul.

    Affiliate disclosure: This section contains an affiliate link. If you book through it, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

    Walk Along Dorimcheon Stream After Lunch

    After lunch, I also walked along Dorimcheon Stream near Sillim Station.

    Dorimcheon Stream near Sillim Station in Seoul
    Dorimcheon Stream, a short walk from Sillim Station.

    If you have some extra time after eating, it is an easy place to take a short walk before getting back on the subway.

    For me, having Indian food for lunch and then walking along Dorimcheon Stream made a simple and relaxed afternoon in Sillim.

    Final Thoughts

    India Durbar is outside Seoul’s main tourist districts such as Myeongdong, Hongdae, and Gangnam, but it can be useful for travelers staying in southern Seoul or anyone exploring the Sillim area.

    I especially liked being able to order a single-person Indian food set with curry, naan, chicken tikka, rice, and lassi.

    If you are searching for an Indian restaurant in Seoul near Sillim Station, India Durbar is worth considering, especially if you are dining alone and want to try several Indian dishes in one meal.

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